Knitting machine and in the production of fabric thereon



KNITTING MACHINE AND IN THE PRODUCTION OF FABRIC THEREON Filed Aug. 50, 1937 9 Sheets-Sheet 1 P/dM/LLS //VVE/V rare 8y WW $6945 1.

4 rroe/vsys.

R. K. MILLS 2,142,756 KNI TTING MACHINE AND IN THE PRODUCTION OF FABRIC THEREON Jan. 3, "1939.

Filed Aug. 30, 1937 9 Sheets-Sheet 2 A rTo/"e/vsys Jan. 3, 1939. k. K. MILLS 2,142,756

' -KNITTING MACHINE AND IN THE PRODUCTION OF FABRIC THEREON Filgd Aug. 50, 1937 9 Sheets-Sheet 3 PKM/us /NVEN TO/Q.

R. K. MILLS 2;142,756 KNITTING MACHINE AND IN THE PRODUCTION OF FABRIC THEREON v Jan. 3, 1939.

Filed Aug. 30, 1937 9 Sheets-Sheet 4 ATTOR Y Jan. 3, 1939.

'K. MILLS KNITTING MACHINE AND IN THE PRODUCTION OF FABRIC THEREON Filed Aug. 30, 1937 9 SheetsSheet 5 7a (JV/LL? Mme/v TOE R. K. MILLS Jan. 3, 1939.

KNITTING MACHINE AND IN THE PRODUCTION OF FABRIC THEREON Filed Aug. 30, 1937 9 Sheets-Sheet 6 Fig/.5.

Jan. 3, 1939. R. K. MILLS 2,142,756

KNITTING MACHINE AND IN THE PRODUCTION OF FABRIC THEREQN Filed Aug. 50, 1937 9 Sheets-Sheet 7 FM MILLS l/VVE/V 7-0/8 A TTOIPNEyQ Jan/3, 1939. I R MILLS 2,142,756

KNITTING MACHINE AND IN THE PRODUCTION OF FABRIC T HEREON Filed Aug. 30, 1937 9 Sheets-Sheet 8 A TTOENE 7s.

R. K. MILLS Jan. 3, 1939.

KNITTING MACHINE AND IN- THE PRODUCTION OFFABRIC THEREON Filed Aug. 30, 1937 9 Sheets-Sheet 9 A -HJ IIkAS //v1/E/v T019 3 7 M n a A T TOENE Y5 Patented Jan. 3, 1939 UNITED STATES KNITTING MACHINE AND IN THE PRODUC- TION F FABRIC THEREON Robert Kirkland M1115, Sherwood, Nottingham, England, assignor to Hosiery Developments Limited, Nottingham, England Application August so, 1937, Serial No. 161,709 In Great Britain September 1, 1936 13 Claims.

This invention comprises improvements in or relating to knitting machines and in the production of fabric thereon. The invention is particularly, although not exclusively, concerned with straight bar or Cottons patent machines, an object being to facilitate the production of such machines of knitted fabric which is possessed of ladder-proof or ladder-resisting properties by virtue of incorporation in the fabric of locked or 10 tied stitches formed by passing a loop of stitchlocking thread through and also around a stitch loop to be locked; in other words, by completely encircling each side bar or leg of a stitch loop with looking thread which also extends from one 5 side of the stitch loop to the other; Such fabric is hereinafter referred to as fabric of the type specified; further the loops which are passed through and closely around others or, after having been passed through previously formed loops are cast ofl over them, are referred to herein as locking loops and the loops through whichthey are passed are referred to as the ground loops.

Such fabric can very conveniently be produced by the aid of plural latch needles, the latches themselves controlling the relation of the loops as one is passed through another. Plural latch needles, however, do not lend themselves to incorporation in fine gauge straight bar knitting machines and when the fabric is produced by the aid of other instruments great care has to be taken in the control of the two kindsof loops (ground loops and locking loops).

According to its broadest aspect the present invention consists in the production of knitted fabric of the type specified by the employment of spring or bearded needles wherein the requisite relative movement between a ground and locking loop lengthwise of the needle while making a locked stitch is controlled by means located and operating between the needles or selected thereof.

1 As is well known in the production of knitted fabric by the employment of spring or bearded needles, e. g., on a straight bar knitting machine, sinkers are employed for sinking and dividing loops of thread to be formed into knitted stitches; and viewing the invention from another aspect same consists in the provision in a knitting machine, particularly a straight bar knitting 50 machine arranged for the production of fabric of the type specified, of sinkers co-operating with the needles when producing both ground and locking loops and one or more elements or instruments other than said sinkers disposed or movable between adjacent needles and operative 'itively to control relative movement between ground and locking loops on the needle and to ensure the passage of a locking loop through a ground loop prior to passing said locking loop 5 over said ground loop.

One method of making a locked or tied stitch of the type referred to is by the employment of a spring hook or bearded needle having the end or tail of its beard turned back to form a comparatively small subsidiary hook. This needle is particularly suitable for fine gauge straight bar knitting machines, and in making a locked or tied stitch on such a needle a previously formed stitch loop to be locked is first cleared on the needle shank, after which stitch-locking thread is fed into the beard, and the needle is retracted to carry the locking thread to the top or bend of the beard and also to carry the old loop into thebeard above the subsidiary hook. On subsequent projection of the needle the beard is pressed and the old loop is caught in the subsidiary hook and continued needle projection pulls the old loop'down insaid subsidiary hook. Pressure is then released from the beard and the locking thread loop is cleared below said beard, after which the beard is again pressed and, by retraction of the needle, the locking loop is drawn through the old loop and cast off around said old loop which is still retained on the needle. During the making of a locked stitch as above it is essential that the locking thread loop and the ground loop to be locked thereby are so controlled as to ensure that the locking loop is maintained clear of the ground loop at the time the latter is engaged by the subsidiary hook of the beard, and also that the locking loop is passed through the ground loop on the needle prior to said locking loop being cast off.

Viewing the invention from another aspect, therefore, same resides in a knitting machine, particularly a straight bar knitting machine, arranged for the production of fabric of the type specified and equipped with hooked needles, each or certain of which has the end of its book bent back to form a subsidiary hook functioning to receive a ground loop and pass it over a locking loop and including elements which operate be- 50 tween adjacent needles from the hooked or bearded side thereof, to control the relative movement between the ground and locking loops on the needle and positively to efi'ect engagement by the subsidiary hook of the ground loop so that the locking loop can be passed through said ground loop and subsequently cast off over same.

In one arrangement according to this invention the movable loop-controlling elements aforesaid are constituted by elements which also function to assist in knocking-over or casting-off completed stitches, i. e., knocking-over bits functioning between the needles; and. where said knocking-over bits are so employed, motion is imparted'thereto during the production of locked stitches to receive within suitable throats or recesses of the bits the sinker bars of stitch loops on the needles and thereby control said loops.

In another arrangement according to the invention loop-controlling elements are employed that are additional to' and operate below the customary sinkers and co-operate with knockingover bits to control the relative movements of locking loops and ground loops during the production of locked or tied stitches. An advantage of this last-mentioned arrangement is that it permits of the use in a Cottons patent machine of sinkers of the ordinary shape, which sinkers are employed during the sinking and dividing both of the plain loops and of the locking loops, in the manner customary in the production of plain fabric.

For the purpose of more fully describing the nature of this invention, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, wherein:-

Fig. 1 to 8 illustrate eight successive steps of producing a locked or tied stitch in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

Figs. 9 to 16 illustrate in eight successive steps a modified method of producing a locked or tied stitch.

Figs. 1'7 and 18 illustrate in: sectional elevation and plan respectively a part of a straight bar knitting machine embodying means for carrying out the knitting process according to Figs. 1 to 8.

Fig. 19 illustrates in part-sectional elevation mechanism adapted to be employed on a straight bar knitting machine for carrying out the knitting process according to Figs. 9 to 16.

A method of carrying out the invention on a straight bar knitting machine will now be described in detail with reference to Figs. 1 to 8 of the drawings. Needles I as before-mentioned are employed having beards 2 each terminating in a small inturned subsidiary hook 3. C-operating with and working between alternate pairs of adjacent needles are jack sinkers 4 each having an angular loop-sinking throat 5 (Fig. l) functioning to receiveand control fed thread, while between the remaining alternate pairs of needles divider sinkers 6 operate, the jack sinkers 4 being first projected to sink thread loops between alternate pairs of needles, and the dividers 6 being subsequently project-d to divide the thread loops in the angular throats in the known manner. Each divider 6 is preferably formed with a downwardly inclined portion 1 at that part immediately above the throat 5, and extending forwardly below said throat is a portion ,8 having a downwardly inclined upper edge, said portion 8 being provided with a comparatively narrow and preferably parallel sided throat 9 substantially near to the bottom edge of the sinker, and a substantially narrow and preferably parallel edged neb l0 projectingforwardly beyond and below said throat, said neb advantageously having horizontal upper and lower edges or faces.

The production of a locked or tied stitch by the co-operation of the aforesaid needles and sinkers will now be described, and for the sake of clearness the operation of a single needle will be described. First let it be assumed that a stitch loop a which it is required to lock is already carried on the needle I, the needle is raised to clear said old loop down its shank, the sinkers 4 and 6 are retracted to a. position for permitting locking thread b to be fed across the needle below the beard 2, the jack sinkers 4 are projected while the divider sinkers B are held back, (Fig. 1) after which, as the needle begins to descend and also to move outwards, the divider sinkers 6 are projected so as to sink a loop b of locking thread bl on the shank, (Fig. 2). Continued retraction of the needle brings the sunk loop b of locking thread into the top or bight 2a of the needle beard 2 and also brings the old loop a. up into the beard, and during this motion the sinkers are simultaneously partially retracted, thereby causing the loop I) of locking thread to move off the jack sinker and on to the small forward neb [0 of the divider sinker 6, (Fig. 3). Also, during the downward movement of the needle, knocking over bits H, i. e., the blades of a knocking over comb, which are located substantially closely below the sinkers 4 and 6 and are operated between the needles from the bearded side thereof, have imparted thereto a suitable degree of forward motion, that is to say said bits are projected forwardly a short distance between the needles, and in doing this the sinker bars extending from each side of the stitch loop a on the needle shank are engaged by or received within a throat or recess l2 in the top edge of each knocking over bit operating at both sides of a needle and thereby control the stitch loop on the needle. The sinkers are now again projected a short distance to draw the locking thread loop 1) into the back of the forward throat 9 of the divider sinker and below the neb 4a of the adjacent jack sinker 4. While the knocking over bits II are still in a projected or partially projected position, the needle rises and is simultaneously brought into engagement with a presser bar I! to press the beard, the small subsidiary hook 3 of the beard 2 being pressed into engagement with a slot in the needle shank so as to bury the tail end of said hook 3, (Fig. 4) The stitch loop a is controlled by the knocking over bits I I during the rising of the needle and is thereby prevented from rising with the needle and is positively brought into the subsidiary hook 3 of the beard, it being understood that the throats [2 of the knocking over bits H which receive the sinker bars of the stitch loop a are each so formed as to provide a short forwardly extending neb I3 .at the top of the throat which during the upward movement of the needle I bears down upon a sinker bar, and at the same time maintains the stitch loop a spaced from the locking thread loop b the latter being kept clear of the small subsidiary hook 3-. It will thus be appreciated that the fabric on the needles is held down and the old loop a is prevented from creeping up against the locking thread loop b. Pressure is now released from the needle beard 2 and the knocking over bits H are partially retracted, (Fig. 5), and as the needle I is raised further, the locking thread loop b is cleared below the beard 2 while the old stitch loop a is still anchored in' the subsidiary hook 3. After this the needle heard is again pressed (Fig 6), and the subsequent downward movement of the needle causes the locking loop b to be drawn through the old loop a and pass on to the exterior of the beard 2, said old loop meanwhile moving out of the subsidiary hook, and pressure being removed from the needle beard, (Fig. 7). The sinkers are withdrawn and the locking loop b, which as aforesaid has been drawn through the old loop a, is thereby released from the sinker and by continued retraction of the needle is cast off over said old loop which is retained on the needle, the knocking over bits which have been retracted being meanwhile again projected to assist in the knocking over operation in the customary manner.

In the production of an ordinary or normal knitted stitch the needle operation is similar to that when employing an ordinary bearded needle, that is to say a previously formed loop is cleared below the beard while the needle is raised, new stitch thread is fed into the beard, the needle is lowered, the beard pressed and the old loop knocked over.

During that phase in the before-described stitch-forming operation when the locking thread loop' b is cleared below the needle beard and passed through the old loop, (Fig. 6), the stitch thread appertaining to the old loop a, i. e., the sinker bars on each side of the ground loop extend beneath the sinkers 4, 6, within an arcuate cut-out or recess Ga on the underside of the divider sinker 6 immediately at the rear of the neb III, and if desired, but not necessarily, in an undercut recess 4b at the end of the jack sinker 4, the top of said recess or recesses being level or substantially level with the closed end of the forward sinker throat 9 accommodating the looking thread; and in this manner the needle can be raised with the old loop a in the subsidiary hook 3 thereof without exerting undue strain on said old loop or without unduly extending said loop.

, From the above description it will be appreciated that during the production of a locked or tied stitch the knocking-over bits II have imparted thereto two to-and-fro motions between the needles. One of said motions being required for controlling the old stitch loop a on the needle while the stitch-locking loop b is under the control of the divider sinker 6, while the second movement is required during the customary knocking-over motion. The actual means employed on the machine for effecting these motions may be varied to suit existing circumstances; one of such means is, however, illustrated in Figs. 17 and 18 of the drawings. Here the knockingover comb of which the blades constitute the knocking-over bits II is carried by arms l8 mounted for pivotal movement on a fixed spindle I9. Additionally, the knocking-over comb has connected thereto one or more downwardly extending suitably cranked arms 20, said arm or each of same carrying a cam truck 2I bearing on the peripheral face of a rotary cam 22, a spring 23 functioning to hold the truck on the cam. As the cam 22 rotates, two suitable rises 24, 25 function in succession to impart the requisite reciprocating motions to the lniocking-over bits TI, it being appreciated that said bits move through an are about the pivot I9. The shape and relative disposition'of the two cam rises 24, 25 are determined to impart the requisite degree of motion to the knocking-over bits.

In a modified method of making a locked or tied stitch (Figs. 9 to 16), the sinkers 6b associated with the needles I for sinking and dividing thread loops are of the shape ordinarily employed in a Cotton's patent machine, although it may be found convenient to make them slightly less in height than is usual so as to accommodate additional loop-controlling elements I4 beneath same. These elements I4 resemble sinkers in that they are of thin blade-like construction, they work between the needles, and they are each provided with a loop-receiving throat. Therefore, they fall within the class of instruments that would, in the trade, be referred to as sinkers, and they are hereinafter referred to as auxiliary sinkers.

The said auxiliary sinkers are mounted below the ordinary sinkers and there may be one of them' below each jack and dividing sinker, or there may be one of them below each jack, or dividing, sinker only. They are comparatively narrow in depth and each of them is provided at its forward end with a deep narrow throat I5 having its top and bottom edges parallel and substantially horizontal, the narrow neb I6 below this throat being substantially longer than the narrow neb above it. It may be pointed out that while they may be mounted or operated in any convenient manner, yet as it is one of their functions to receive in the throats I5 aforesaid the locking loops b after the latter have been sunk and divided by the ordinary sinkers and after said sinkers have been retracted by the catch bar, said auxiliary sinkers I4 may be mounted for movement in unison upon a sinker bar.

Below the auxiliary sinkers I4 are the knocking-over bits Ila, and these knocking-over bits are formed with a pronounced throat I2 to receive the last formed course of stitches of the fabric and thereby to position the ground loops a, that encircle the needle stems, while the needles, are rising to cause said loops to be taken by the subsidiary hook 3. In order to assist in these operations it is advantageous if the knock- -over bits are capable of movements both vertically and horizontally, e. g., move in an arc. Moreover, in order to accommodate these movements of the knocking-over hits the auxiliary sinkers I4 may be slightly recessed at Ma in their lower edges, to the rear of their throats.

In operation, the jack and dividing sinkers cooperate with the needles in the manner usual with ordinary needles to form a course of stitches. This course of stitches is engaged by the knock; ing-over bits Ila, so as to position the newly formed ground loops that now encircle the needle stems while the needles rise.

Considering now the operation of a single needle, after the needle has been raised the sinkers are again operated to form a locking loop, (Fig. 9). This locking loop b may be formed from the same thread as the ground loop a or from a different thread. Thereafter the needle descends so that the locking loop is passed into and carried to the top of the needle beard, (Fig. 10). The ordinary sinkers are now retracted and simultaneously the auxiliary sinkers I4 are projected below said ordinary sinkers so that the locking loop slides off the sinker neb into the throat I5 of the auxiliary sinker I4 and is thereby held and located, (Fig. 11). The spacing of the loops 0. and b of the two kinds lengthwise of the needle stem is, therefore, strictly governed by theauxiliary sinkers I4 and the knocking-over bits Ila.

After the needle has reached the limit of its descent and has commenced to rise again, the beard 2 is pressed sothat the auxiliary hook 3 is sunk into the eye or groove provided. Because this pressing is best effected by tilting the needles towards the presser bar, the knocking-over bits bits Ila, passes into the subsidiary hook 3, (Fig.

12) and immediately afterwards the beard moves out of contact with the presser l1, (Fig. 13). The knocking-over bits are at this time withdrawn and the needle in its continued upward movement lifts the ground loop a over the locking loop b still held by the auxiliary sinkers. Then the beard is pressed once again (Fig. 14) and the needle lowered, and these operations therefore result in the end of the pressed beard penetrating the locking loop which is thus brought onto the beard. At this stage the auxiliary sinkers l4 are withdrawn so that the locking loops and the main loops fall onto the knocking-over bits Ila, which are projected for this purpose and pressure is again released from the beard, (Fig. 15). Continued downward movement of the needle then results in the locking loop b being cast off over the ground loop a (Fig. 16)

The knocking-over bits may be lowered preparatory to the projection of the auxiliary sinkers, and then raised again.

The mechanism herein described facilitates the production of the selvedge, and splicing or plating. It is to be understood, however, that the auxiliary sinkers and/or the double hooked needles may be employed only at locations where it is desired to form locked stitch loops.

When making fabric in accordance with the method illustrated in Figs. 9 to 16 cam operated mechanism is required to impart the requisite motion to the knocking-over bits Ila and additional cam-operated mechanism is also required to impart the requisite motion to the auxiliary sinkers i4 during theproduction of a locked or tied stitch. The auxiliary sinkers may only require to have an approximately horizontal toand-fro motion, whereas the knocking-over bits require to have a composite motion embodying both horizontal and vertical movements. The particular method employed'on a straight bar knitting machine for obtaining these motions may be varied, and by way of example one suitable construction of mechanism is illustrated in Fig. 19. In this figure, 26 is the cam for imparting to the knocldng-over bits I la the in and out or approximately horizontal motion, while 21 is the cam for imparting to said knocking-over bits the required vertical or up and down motion. For imparting to the knocking-over bits the in and out or approximately horizontal motion there is provided a truck arm 23 freely pivoted on'a spindle 29 and carrying a cam truck 30 bearing on the periphery of the cam 23. To this arm 23 is releasably and adjustably connected an arm 3| pivoted at 32 to a further arm 33 which itself has a rocking motion between its extremities about a pivot 34; the upper end of said arm 33 carrying the knockingover comb. It will be seen that the cam 23 has two peripheral dips 35, 36 with which the truck 30 engages in succession as the cam rotates, and each time said truck ridesover one of said dips, rocking motion is imparted to the arm 33 on the pivot 34 to move the knocking-over bits Ila to and fro between the needles. To obtain the requl'site vertical or up and down motion of the knocking-over bits, a second cam truck 31 coacts with the periphery of the cam 21; the truck 31 being carried by the one arm 38 of a cranked lever which rocks about the spindle 29, the second arm 39 of said lever being connected to the pivot 34 of the aforesaid rocking arm 33. As the truck 31 rises on the cam 21, the arm 33 is lowered, while a falling movement of the truck 31 on the cam effects a lifting of the arm 33, thereby raising and lowering the knocking-over bits.

To impart the requisite approximately horizontal to-and-fro motion to the auxiliary sinkers l4 there is provided a third cam 40 with the periphery of which engages a cam truck 4| carried by a suitably shaped arm 42 adapted to rock about a fixed pivot 43 and constituting a lower extension of an arm 44 which carries the bar or rod furnished with the auxiliary sinkers i4. The cam 43 is designed to impart rocking motion at the required times to the arm 44 carrying the auxiliary sinkers, and it will be appreciated that the relative disposition of the several rises and falls on the three cams 26, 21 and 40 is such as to transmit to the knocking-over bits i la and auxiliary sinkers l4 the requisite motions at the required times.

The cams for operating the knocking-over bits and the auxiliary sinkers are provided on the machine cam shaft. By virtue of the fact, howeven that in the present invention the motion required to be imparted to the knocking-over bits when making locked stitches is different from that when making ordinary stitches, means are provided whereby the operation of the knocking-over bits can be transferred to a normal knockingover cam at predetermined intervals (e. g., at successive courses). In other words when ordinary stitches are being produced the customary knocking over cam functions to effect and control the movement of the knocking-over bits.

Any suitable means may be employed for automatically bringing into use at the required times the cams appertaining to ordinary stitches and the cams appertaining to locked stitches. For example, a cam truck or follower may be shogged from one cam to another, or alternatively the cams themselves may be shogged relatively to a cam truck. I

I claim:

1. The production of knitted fabric by the employment of spring or bearded needles wherein for the purpose of making a locked or tied stitch a locking loop is passed through and also around a previously formed stitch loop (ground loop) and wherein the requisite relative movement between a ground and locking loop lengthwise of the needle while making a locked stitch is controlled by means located and operating between the needles or selected thereof.

2. The production of knitted fabric by the employment of spring or bearded needles wherein for the purpose of making a locked or tied stitch, the locking loop is passed through and also around a previously formed stitch loop (ground loop), and wherein means operating to reciprocate between adjacent needles from the bearded side thereof function to control the ground loop in its movement in relation to the locking loop while making a locked stitch. Y

3. In the production of fabric wherein for purposes of making a locked or tied stitch a locking loop is passed through and also around a previouslyv formed stitch loop (ground loop), the employment of sinkers co-operating with needles when producing both ground and locking loops and one or more elements or instruments other than said sinkers disposed or movable between adjacent needles and operating when producing a locked or tied stitch positively to control rela- 1| Lil) tive movement between ground and locking loops on the needle and to ensure the passage of a locking loop through a ground loop prior to passing said locking loop over said ground loop.

4. In the production of knitted fabric wherein for the purpose of making locked or tied stitches locking loops are passed through and also around previously formed stitch loops (ground loops), the employment of spring or bearded needles each or selected of which has the tail end of its beard turned back to form a comparatively small subsidiary hook, and elements movable between the needles laterally thereof from the bearded side functioning to control ground loops on the needles to effect engagement of said loops withthe subsidiary hooks and also to maintain stitchlocking loops clear of said subsidiary hooks while producing locked or tied stitches.

5. A straight bar knitting machine operating to, produce fabric wherein for the purpose of making locked or tied stitches locking loops are passed through and also around previously formed stitch loops (ground loops) and embodying, in combination, spring or bearded needles of which individual needles have the ends or tails of their beards turned back to form comparatively small subsidiary hooks, sinkers with means operating them to sink and divide ground loops on the needles, means for operating the needles to knit stitches fromv said ground loops, means operating said sinkers to sink and divide locking 'loops and additional elements below said sinkers for controlling the relative positions of the ground and locking loops on the needles so as to cause theiground loops to enter the subsidiary hooks of the needles, maintain the locking loops clear of said subsidiary hooks and ensure the passage of the locking loops through the ground loops while on the needles prior to passing said locking loops over said ground loops.

6. A knitting machine according to claim 5, and

including additional sinker-like elements functioning below the normal sinkers and between said normal sinkers and knocking-over bits for receivinglocking loops and holding same while the needles are operated to pass the ground loops over said locking loops.

7. A knitting machine according to claim including knocking-over bits and means whereby said knocking over bits are operated to engage ground loops on the needles and control said loops to bring same into engagement with the subsidiary hooks of the needles for-the purpose of holding the ground loops while looking loops are passed therethrough.

8. A machine according to claim 5, embodying knocking-over bits, means operating said knocking-over bits to cause same to engage the ground loops on the needles and control said ground loops to bring same into engagement with the subsidiary hooks of the needles, and loop dividing sinkers designed and operated to control stitch-locking loops on .the needles while the said ground loops are being controlled by the knocking-over bits, said dividing sinkers maintaining the control of the locking loops until the ground loops have been drawn over same.

9. A machine according to claim 5 embodying knocking-over bits, means operating said knocking-over bits to cause same to engage ground loops on the needles and control said ground loops to bring the same into engagement with the subsidiary hooks of the needles, and sinker-like elements additional to the normal sinkers operating beneath said normal sinkers to control the the needles while the locking thread loops to engage the locking thread loops when thenormal sinkers have been retracted and control said locking thread loops on ground thread loops are being controlled by the knocking-over bits.

10. The production of knitted fabric of the type specified on a straight bar knitting machine having spring or bearded needles each or selected of which has the tail end of its beard portion turned back 'to form a small subsidiary hook, and wherein a locked or tied stitch is produced on such a needle by the following sequential operations, namely: clearing a ground or stitch loop on to the needle shank below the beard, sinking a loop of locking thread on the needle below said beard and above the ground loop, engaging the ground loop by knocking over bits, retracting the needle to carry the ground loop into the beard and simultaneously engaging the locking loop in a throat at the forward end of a divider sinker and carrying said locking loop to the top or bend of the needle, raising the needle while still maintaining the ground loop and locking loop in engagement with the knocking-over bits and divider sinker respectively so as to maintain the two loops spaced on theneedle, pressing the needle beard and bringing the locking loop into the subsidiary hook of the needle, releasing the pressure on the beard and continuing the projecting movement of the needle so as to draw the ground 100p over the locking loop, again pressing the beard with the ground loop still in engagement with the subsidiary hook, retracting the knocking over bits and retracting the needle to pass the locking loop on to the beard, withdrawing the sinker from engagement with the locking loop and finally casting said locking loop off the needle over the ground loop which is still retained on the needle.

11. The production of knitted fabric of the type specified on a straight bar knitting machine having spring or bearded needles each or selected of which has the tail end of its beard turned back to form a small subsidiary hook, and wherein a locked or tied stitch'is produced on such a needle by the following sequential operations, namely: clearing a ground or stitch loop on to the needle shank below the beard, sinking a loop of locking thread on the needle below said beard and above the ground loop, engaging the ground loop by knocking over bits, retracting the needle to carry the ground loop into the beard and simultaneously carrying the locking loop into the top bend or bight of the beard, withdrawing the sinkers, projecting auxiliary sinkers closely beneath said normal sinkers so as to cause the locking loop to be taken by said auxiliary sinkers when released from the ordinary sinkers, projecting the needle and applying pressure to the beard while still maintaining control of the ground loop and locking loop by the knocking over bits and auxiliary sinkers respectively so as to maintain said loops spaced on the needle and cause the ground loop to enter the subsidiary hook, releasing the pressure from the beard and continuing the projection of the needle so as to pass the ground loop over the locking loop, releasing the ground loop from engagement with the knocking over bits, again pressing the beard and retracting the needle to pass the locking loop onto the exterior of the beard and finally releasing the locking loop from engagement with the to produce fabric of the type specified and embodying, in combination, spring or bearded needles of which individual needles have the ends or tails of their beards turned back to form comparatively small subsidiary hooks, sinkers with means operating them to sink and divide ground loops on the needles, means for operating the needles to knit stitches from said ground loops, means operating said sinkers to sink and divide locking loops, elements functioning as knockingover bits operating between the needles below said sinkers, cam-operated mechanism functioning during the production of locked stitches to impart to-and-fro motion to said elements between the needles to cause said elements to engage the ground loops on the needles and control said loops to bring same into engagement with the subsidiary hooks of the needles while maintaining the locking loops clear of said subsidiary hooks, and said cam-operated mechanism also functioning subsequently to impart a further to-and-fro motion to the elements to knock over the locking loops on the ground loops.

13. A straight bar knitting machine operating to produce fabric of the type specified and embodying, in combination, spring or bearded needles of which individual needles have the ends or tails of their beards turned back to form comparatively small subsidiary hooks, sinkers with means operating them to sink and divide ground loops on the needles, means for operating the needles to knit stitches from said ground loops, means operating said sinkers to sink and divide locking loops, knocking-over bits operating between the needles below said sinkers, cam-operated mechanism functioning during the production of locked stitches to impart to said knocking-over bits a composite motion embodying substantially horizontal and substantially vertical motions to cause said knocking-over bits to en-- gage ground loops on the needles and control said loops so as to bring same into engagement with the subsidiary hooks of the needles, sinker-like elements additional to the normal sinkers'operating beneath said normal sinkers and above the knocking-over bits, cam-operated mechanism imparting a to-and-fro motion to said auxiliary sinkers between the needles and causing said auxiliary sinkers to engage the locking loops when the normal sinkers have been retracted and to control said locking loops on the needles while the ground loops are being controlled by the knocking-over bits.

ROBERT KlRKl'JiND MILLS. 

